Well flow head



Feb. 9, 1937.

K. w. WEIDINGER WELL FLOW HEAD- Filed March 1, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Feb.'9, 1937. K. w. WEIDINGER 2,070,326

WELL FLOW HEAD 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1935 A.= F 4 W Feb. 9,1937. K. W.'WEIDINGER 5 3 WELL FILOW HEAD Filed March 1, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Thisinvention relates to a flow head for tree flowing oil wells.

In conventional practice heads for free flowing oil wells comprise ahousing secured to the top of the casing and a cover plate having a portcommunicating with a well tube, which extends into the well. The housingusually has two ports for the outlet of gas. In such a construction, incase any difilculty arises with the connections to the port or thevalves in the tubing leading from the port, it is necessary to "kill thewell and thus destroy its pressure bei'ore repairs can be made. Becauseof the position of the well tube, mechanism suggested for closing thegas ports has been complicated and expensive.

An object of this invention is to provide valve mechanism which issimple in constr ction, economical to manufacture and efliciem; inoperation, and by which the gas ports in the housing of a fiow head maybe closed and opened at will, without affecting the flow through thewell tube. and with provision of full clearance for the passage of welltools. I

Another object of this invention is to provide in a flow head housinghaving two ports. for the delivery of gas from the well, valve mechanismby which both ports may be opened or closed, or either port may beopened while the other is closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide in connection with suchvalve mechanism, indicating devices which will show the position of thevalve mechanism.

Other and specific objects will be apparent from the following detaildescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1' is a vertical section of a flow head embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a valve member employed in the embodimentshown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the valve member;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views showing a modification with thevalve member turned in difierent relationships;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the valve memberused a. port 4 communicatingwith a welltube 5 which,

l extends centrally through a casing .2.

as specifically shown, is in threaded engagement with the head 3 andextends into the well. The housing I has two ports A and B, into whichmay be inserted pipes to carry away gas from the well. The housing I hasa conical seat 6, in which is fitted a conical valve member I, havingports 9 adapted to register with the ports A and B. The valve member Iis held in position by a jam nut lo, a washer ll being interposedbetween the nut Ill and the valve member I. A series of gear teeth iiare cut in the periphery of the valve member I and are engaged by a wormgear or pinion I3, positioned in a recess or chamber in the wall of thehousing and secured to a shaft l5, extending through the wall of thehousing and having a hand wheel IS on its outer end. Thus by turning thehand wheel It the valve member 1 may be rotated and the ports 9 movedinto and out of registry with the ports A and B as desired.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 5 to 12 inclusive the ports,identified as I! and I8, in the valve member I, are elliptical, asdistinguished from the other embodiments where similar ports 9 areround, and are arranged in such a manner that the ports A and B both maybe opened or closed, or either may be opened while the other remainsclosed. In this embodiment, the exposed part of the shaft I5 is threadedto engage a follower nut !9, which carries a pointer 20, cooperatingwith an indicating dial 2 I, to indicate the position of the valve andthe condition of the ports.

In order to limit the movement of the valve member I lugs 22 may beformed on its bottom and adapted to cooperate with an abutment 23 formedon the housing.

It is to be understood that the invention con- 7 templates means forregulating those ports in the housing which are adapted to communicatewith the casing permitting the escape of gas from the well. Thisinvention is not concerned with the arrangement of the well tube 5, andits port, ex-

cept, of course, that it permits the tube to project through the valvemember I. Inthe embodiment specifically illustrated the well tube 5 issecured to the cover plate 3 and in direct communication with the port4. It is to be understood, however, that this invention is applicable toother fiow heads where such direct communication is not present but inwhich the well tube 5 The cover plate 3 is secured to'the housing I,with a gasket 24 interposed therebetween, by

studs 25.

The inner end of the shaft I5 is journalled in a socket 26 in the innerwall of the housing l adjacent the recess M, which houses the worm I3.The shaft I5 is also journalled in a bushing nut 21 intermediate itsends. A packing gland 28 seals the shaft IS in relation to the bushing21.

" The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 to 12 inclusive to indicate theposition of the valve member 1.

Thus when the pointer is at the first section, port A will be closed andport B will be open, the valve member I being in the position shown inFig. 6. When the pointer is at the second. section and in the positionshown in Fig. 11, both ports will be open and the parts will be in therelationship shown in Fig. '7. Upon further rotation of the shaft IS thevalve member I will be brought to the position shown in Fig. 5 and thepointer will be brought to the third section of the dial, showing port Aopen and port B closed. Upon further rotation the valve member I will bebrought to the position shown in Fig. 8 and the pointer will travel tothe fourth section of the dial and indicate both ports closed.

A lock nut 29 threaded in the housing is superimposed upon the jam nutl0. Each of the nuts l0 and 29 have recesses 30 for the reception of atool.

Because the valve member is lapped in its seat sand is prevented fromreaching the recesses or gear box l4. Further such gear box is underlittle or no pressure and thus the packing between the shaft and thebushing may be simple as compared with a condition where the entire wellpressure is encountered.

Another advantage of the invention is that the valve does not interferewith the passage of well tools when necessary for repair of the well. Insuch a case it is necessary only to remove the head, the central openingin the valve member I being substantially equal 'to the inside diameterof the casing 2.

It will-be apparent from the foregoing description that a flow headembodying this invention is simple in construction and eflicient inopera- -tion. Because of its construction its life will be substantiallyunlimited and thus avoid the necessity of repairs or replacements duringthe life of the pressure in a well, and avoid the necessity of killingthe well in order to make repairs to the connections for the gas outletsand their valves.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction. within thescope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls of acasing and having a port, a cover plate for the housing with a portadapted to commmunicate with a well tube extending within the casing, aconical seat within the housing arranged concentric with the axis of thecasing, a conical valve member fitted in said seat, surrounding the welltube and having a port adapted to register with the port in the housing,gear teeth on the periphery of the valve member, a pinion supported in arecess in the housing and engaging said gear teeth, a shaft for thepinion extending through the wall of the housing, and means on the outerend of the shaft by which it can be rotated and thereby rotate thepinion to turn the valve member and selectively cover and uncover theport in the housing.

2. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls of acasing and having a port, a cover plate for the housing with a portadapted to communicate with a well tube extending within the casing, aconical seat within the housing arranged concentric with the axis of thecasing, a conical valve member fitted in said seat, surrounding the welltube and having a port adapted to register with the port in the housing,a jam nut engaging threads on the housing and press: ing against theupper edge of the valve member to hold it on its seat, gear teeth on theperiphery of the valve member, a pinion supported in a recess in thehousing and engaging said gear teeth, a shaft for the pinion extendingthrough the wall of the housing, and means on the outer end of the shaftby which it can be rotated and thereby rotate the pinion to turn thevalve member and selectively cover and uncover the port in the housing.

3. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls of acasing and having a port, a cover plate for the housing-with a portadapted to communicate with a well tube extending within the casing, aconical seat within the housing arranged concentric with the axis of thecasing, a conical valve member fitted in said seat surrounding the welltube and having a port adapted to register with the port in the housing,gear teeth on the periphery of the valve member, a pinion supported in arecess in the housing and engaging said gear teeth, a shaft for thepinion extending through the wall of the housing, means on the outer endof the shaft by which it can be rotated and thereby rotate the pinion toturn the valve member and selectively cover and uncover the port in thehousing, and cooperating elements on the valve member and the housingpositioned and arranged to limit the rotation of the valve member. I

4. A well flow. head including a housing adapted to engage the walls ofa. casing and having a pair of ports, a cover plate for the housing witha port adapted to communicate with a well tube extending within thecasing, a conical seat within the housing arranged concentric with theaxis of the casing, a conical valve member fitted on said seat,surrounding the well tube and having elongated ports proportioned andarranged whereby said valve member may be turned selectively to openboth of said ports, to close both of said ports, and to open either ofsaid ports while closing the other, and means engaging the periphery ofthe valve member for rotating the valve member on its seat.

5. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls of acasing and having a port, a cover plate for the housing with a portadapted to communicate with a well tube extending within the casing, aconical seat within the housing arranged concentric with the axis of thecasing, a conical valve member fitted in said seat, sm'rounding the welltube and having a port adapted to register with the port in the housing,a recessed chamber formed in the housing and open to the outer surfaceof the valve member, and means supported in said chamber for engagingand rotating the valve member.

6. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls of acasing and having a port, a cover plate for the housing with a portadapted to communicate with a well tube extending within the casing, aconical seat within the housing arranged concentric with the axis of thecasing, a conical valve member fitted in said seat, surrounding the welltube and having a port adapted to register with the port in the housing,means inside the housing for engaging the outer surface of the valvemember and rotating the same, and a shaft for operating said meansextending through the wall of the casing.

'7. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls ofa casing and having a pair of ports, a cover plate for the housinghaving a port adapted to communicate with a well tube extending withinthe casing, a conical seat within the housing arranged concentric withthe axis of the casing, aconical valve member fitted on said seat andhaving elongated ports proportioned and arranged whereby said valvemember may be turned selectively to open both of said ports, to closeboth of said ports, and to open either of said ports while closing theother, a shaft extending through the wall of the casing,

means on the shaft adapted to engage the outer surface of the valvemember and rotate the same, a nut exterior of the casing and threaded onthe shaft, a pointer carried by the nut, and a dial arranged incooperative relationship with the pointer to indicate the position ofthe valve member.

8. A well flow head including a housing adapted to engage the walls of acasing, a cover plate for the housing with a port adapted to communicatewith a well'tube extending within the casing, a valve seat on saidhousing surrounding and concentric with said tube, a port in said seat,a valve surrounding said tube positioned on said seat and having a portadapted to register with the port in the housing, and means exterior ofsaid housing for operating said valve on the seat.

KARL W. WEIDINGER.

